New warning about ricks....

My wife and I will be down at CN at the beginning of march and are really looking forward to it. I frequently check this board as well as TA. We are having mixed feelings about going to Ricks because I feel like its a must do experience while in Negril, but I keep finding a lot of negative posts about it...

This newest post really has me not wanting to go...what are you experiences there? is it worth it?

We have been to Rick's every trip to Negril. I was shocked to read that cave tour fiasco, that's awful. The last trip in April we were just hounded for tips as we were sitting at the edge of the cliffs. We decided to move farther away from the jumpers and still by the edge though. All of a sudden these small kids( guessing about 10-12 ) years old spotted me again for tips. Once you tip them they keep finding you. I was an easy target I guess. I wouldn't eat there and next time if there is a next time, I wont sit by the edge. It's a cool place to go have a beer or two, see a sunset but be prepared to pay.
I realize the divers are literally jumping to eat but I just got a bad taste in my mouth last time.

We went to Rick's many years ago and didn't have that great of an experience. There was a huge dude there...huge with super long dreads. A lot of people were taking pictures with him, I don't know why, so we followed along...and decided to get our picture taken with him also. (He was so huge...probably 7 ft)..
So, a little later in the night he comes up to us and says, "You are buying me a beer"...we were like, Huh? And he said it again..."you are buying me a beer for payment of your picture."
We did buy him a beer because we didn't want trouble but felt like we were being bullied into it.
Needless to say, we haven't been back. The drinks were over priced and it was a huge tourist trap. It is fun to see the jumpers and watch the sunset from there...but overall it seems like a waste of time and money to me.

Go for the show and the atmosphere and you should be fine. You will be just like all the other tourist there, paying too much for too little. Take your Cat cruise, watch the divers as the cat slides by, watch the sunset from the boat and return happy with money in your pocket instead of Rick's

There used to be a less touristy place called the Pickled Parrott just down the beach from Ricks. It had some cliffs, a slide and none of the BS that went on at Ricks. To be honest we haven't been there in 10+ years but even back then the locals were hustling you for tips at Ricks.

I, like most everyone else feel that Rick's is overrated. Drinks are expensive (you have already paid for them back at the resort). Take the Cat. Cruise (which is included with your resort also) and see the jumpers. And like mick said, you go home happy and money in your pocket. Or use that money for something else.

I think everyone needs to go to Rick's once just to see it. Have a drink, watch the sunset then leave. We went, drank watched the divers for a few hours and left. We stayed far enough away from the divers and were not hassled by anyone.

As for the ladder issue no one should ever go off with someone they do not know....ANYWHERE!

We went on the cat cruise while visitingCSA last November. While anchored near Rick's we saw those 10 -12 year old boys on the cliff. They yelled and waived at us, jumped off the cliff, and then swam to the boat to demand money from us! One even boarded the boat and was removed by a crew member.
Wow! I never expected to see such aggressive behavior from kids that age.